The present invention relates to certain garments referred to as foundation garments, shapewear, activewear, brassieres, etc. The present application describes such garments that provide a smooth, stable fit that provides both a comfortable fit and an attractive shape to the wearer.
Foundation garments, such as brassieres, corsets, girdles, etc., have been used for a number of years to impart a more attractive shape to the wearer. In this regard, foundation garments have been used to enhance, control, emphasize, and reduce aspects of the figure of the wearer, often at the expense of comfort.
For example, corsets were historically used to shape and hold a wearer's midsection. Traditionally, corsets were worn around the torso to reduce the wearer's waist while emphasizing the wearer's chest and/or hips. However, corsets are notorious for restricting the wearer's chest movement, thereby making it difficult to breathe.
A more modern example of foundation garments is shapewear. Shapewear is a class of undergarments that provide shape, and control, thereby smoothing and shaping the wearer's figure. However, shapewear has a tendency to shift on the wearer's body, especially in response to movement by the wearer. For instance, waistbands of shapewear garments tend to rollover when the wearer bends over or sits down. Further, shapewear garments also have a tendency to ride-up or ride-down or otherwise shift on the wearer.
Many solutions have been proposed to address these shortcomings. However, prior attempts to provide stability to garments have been at the expense of comfort. For example, “no ride” fabrics and features often irritate the skin of the wearer or cause the wearer to sweat.
Thus, there is a need for shapewear garments that provide the desired shape and control to the wearer, yet are comfortable enough and stable enough to be worn for extended periods of time without requiring constant readjustment as the garment shifts in response to wearer movement.